


Ruins

by MissOverlord



Category: Puyo Puyo (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Demon/Human Relationships, Fish out of Water, Gen, Mild Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:08:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 36
Words: 19,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24496228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissOverlord/pseuds/MissOverlord
Summary: So many small mysteries lie in the Ruins of Arca. Hopeful of finding something of interest, a certain mage with a budding interest in the dark arts sometimes wanders around its vacant halls and passages.Perhaps he'll find something worthwhile today..?
Comments: 4
Kudos: 26





	1. Bits and Pieces

**Author's Note:**

> Just an unimpressive little AU concerning the Record of Sealing, probably taking place around Fever 1. It seemed like a good idea at the time.

_How splendidly fascinating..!_

He’d never gone quite _this_ far into the ruins before, and judging from the thick layer of dust accumulated behind the hidden passage he’d very much lucked into finding… neither had anyone _else._ True, though many had explored the imposing Ruins of Arca many, _many_ times, there were still discoveries (or _re_ discoveries) just waiting in the crumbling enigmatic structure. Adjusting his glasses, Klug stepped forward, leaving the first footprint in who knew how long on the untrodden stone.

… But for being a _hidden_ passage, it seemed rather… disappointing. Living spaces, by the look of it, but long ago ransacked. Musty splintered wood, many pieces which bore some traces of ornate carvings, may have at one time been impressive pieces of craftsmanship. Honestly, though, even had they been _whole,_ they wouldn’t have caught a great deal of his interest. _His_ focus was on arcane artifacts and books, spell tomes to be exact. He was an aspiring _mage,_ not an anthropology student.

What he _really_ wanted was something, _anything_ to give him an edge. Being at the top of his class meant _everything_ to him… but it was a short fall to the unenviable place of second or, _stars forbid,_ the lowly position of _third._ For now, Klug was the best within the confines of his school, but… he needed to improve. Ancient magic or enchanted items related to that could only help his chances.

Still, he couldn’t help feeling his stomach sink as he poked around the shattered remains. Everything here had been left in, well, _ruins._ Perhaps it was for the best he hadn’t found a trace of anything interesting… like the rest, it would probably be in tatters. Disheartened, he sighed, breath kicking up a minor plume of dust that caught in his nostrils, making him sneeze and almost drop the lamp he’d been carrying. Fumbled, but caught. If it shattered, well, he could always use magic to light the way, but expending energy on something so _trivial_ seemed a waste.

Only one door remained, a small but solidly built one that looked to be reinforced by iron banding. Interesting, maybe, but there were many similar ones throughout the ruins. What stood out was the heavy bolt set crudely into the wood. It didn’t match the other corroded metal parts. Sitting slightly askance, it looked to be a more 'recent' addition to the original components. Beside it, a small placard had been hung from a spike driven into the stone itself, looking similarly conspicuous. As much as he tried, though, whatever had been written or painted onto the shabby-looking sign had faded into complete illegibility. At one time, it might have been important, but now… well, it was impossible to tell.

Surely it was nothing _dangerous,_ right? The passage was merely bolted rather than _locked,_ and apart from possible structural damage surely nothing within could be that much of a hazard. _Most likely a storehouse,_ Klug figured, perhaps the remains of a wine cellar or something similar. Taking the rusted bolt, he jerked at the protesting metal, a sickening metallic scraping sound setting his teeth on edge. Hinges creaking like something from a horror novella, the curious academic peeked inside, his green eyes going wide as he inspected this new, shadowy space.

  
  


This, _this_ was what Klug had hoped to find! On the floor, an ornately drawn but partially obscured magic circle lay, fractured gemstones placed deliberately at its edges. At its center, unusually, sat a thick, heavy-looking tome. Fascinated, the student knelt down, huffing as he tried to blow away some of the thick dust that had gathered over the old linework. He dared not touch it, unwilling to risk smudging any part of the intricate script.

It took _hours_ to clear away the offending particles, but _oh,_ the effort was worth every moment!.. though, he was loathe to admit the nature of the construct still eluded him. Some elements he could recognize, but… the way they were combined, and interacted with the complicated scriptwork were outside his understanding. It had been, in part, an enchantment of sorts, a potent spell focused solely on that mysterious book. Whatever its purpose, the circle’s use was obviously finished… the cracked stones made that much obvious. The gems had been a vital focus, an aid to channeling the specific energies that the circle depended upon to work. Now, it was a broken circuit and completely inert.

Harmless, in other words.

To go to such trouble to enchant an object, but to simply _leave_ it here, collecting dust behind a barred (but unlocked!) door… why? Though, the Ruins were _full_ of unexplained mysteries, such as how its original inhabitants just seemed to, well, _vanish._ One unused book infused with arcane energies seemed minor in comparison.

_Heavens…_ it seemed a waste for such a tome to remain here, in the darkness of this hidden storeroom. Something inside him ached to simply _touch_ the thing, to know what the reddish-looking cover _felt_ like. But… had it been left here for a reason? The faded sign implied it, as did the bolt. Still, there was no power in the circle it rested within. Removing the thing wouldn’t trigger any kind of trap or protective spell.

Still careful not to brush the linework, he reached for the abandoned bound treasure, lifting it cleanly from its resting place. As he’d suspected, nothing strange happened. Lips twisting into a self-satisfied smirk, he chuckled softly, feeling silly for even _hesitating_ to pick up the heavy bound object.

… Then, he _opened_ it. Then, he understood.

  
Leaving it abandoned had been a _deliberate_ act.


	2. Undone

Unwittingly, Klug had breached a seal set in place so, _so_ long ago. He hadn’t _meant_ to… he had only wanted to read the ancient tome, to thumb through its forgotten pages. Not being able to recognize the telltale marks of a sealing spell scratched into the circle was completely understandable..! _Those_ were relics of a more dangerous past, magic discarded and forgotten due to the potential for misuse. _Unethical_ magic.

He’d dropped the weighty object, throwing up an arm to shield his eyes from the intensity of this undone spell. It was so _bright,_ all the more searing in the windowless stone interior. Eventually, the light faded, leaving only the familiar gloominess lit only by the mage’s dropped lantern. Fortunately, it hadn’t broken, and cast odd shadows onto the stark, undecorated walls. Spots still clouding his vision, he became keenly aware of an odd scent, something between burning hair and… and _blood._ As far as he could tell, he wasn’t the source for either odor.

Oh. _Oh_ no. Just… just what had he _done?!_

Rapidly approaching a state of panic, his breath came in short wheezes. If he started to hyperventilate, he didn’t know if he could _stop…_ and passing out right now seemed like the worst possible idea.

… That was even _before_ he caught movement in his eyes, still straining to adjust. It was before he picked up the raspy sound of someone (or some _thing)_ struggling for breath.

A body lay crumpled over the now smudged and irreparably damaged circle. Apart from the heaving of its chest while it tried to suck in air, it… didn’t move much. It _looked_ like a person, clothed in tattered remnants of fabric, but… its _hands_ looked wrong. The fingers were too large, nails tipped in wicked-looking claws. It wasn’t human, and yet…

… There was something almost pitiful about the thing. Whatever it was, it… didn’t _seem_ like an immediate threat, and moreover it was wounded, which explained the lingering scent of copper and iron. Just how badly and _where_ , Klug had no way of knowing, not in this light. Slowly, he took the lantern back up, its metal body scraping against the stonework as he did.

The, well, _whatever it was’s_ eyes snapped open at the noise, irises glowing unnaturally in the lowered light. Vertically slit pupils glared with an unfiltered _rage_ in the general direction of the light, though how much it could _see_ was a mystery. It _hissed_ menacingly, or at least it… it _tried_ to, the exhalation tapering into a fit of dry coughing. Unable to effectively display much of a threat, its clawed hands and feet scrabbled weakly at the harsh, cold flooring, scattering pieces of the broken gemstones. It… it was trying to back away.

Trying, and utterly failing.

Seeming to realize this, it let out a miserable whine and stopped moving.

Unable to fight, unable to defend itself or escape, it just… gave up.

It waited to die.


	3. Hi..?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ... Does it talk?

Though by no means the bravest person at heart, it was difficult for Klug to remain frightened of what he’d accidentally summoned or unsealed or _whatever._ It… seemed to be wearing clothes, torn to shreds as they were. Maybe… maybe it could _talk?_ Or, at least understand him. Trying to think of something non-threatening, something reassuring, the young mage cleared his throat and tried to speak.

“H-hi~?” He squeaked timidly, clutching the lamp to his chest like a protective charm. _Pathetic, you can do better than that,_ he scolded himself, trying to muster the courage to try again. “E-everything’s, ah, f-fine. I’m not… not g-going to hurt you, alright?”

Its amethyst eyes stared at the student, bereft of all comprehension. Curious, but utterly _lost,_ it remained silently watching him, his face to be specific, as though trying to read his expression. Intelligent, clearly, but unable to piece together the meaning of his words. One of its ears, long and ending in a tapered point, rose slightly, as though it had trouble hearing.

More than a little disappointed, Klug exhaled a heavy breath, unsure of just what he should _do,_ apart from behaving in a non-threatening manner _._ Without being able to clearly communicate, getting within range of those sharp-looking nails seemed like a _terrible_ idea, but so did leaving the bloodied creature behind to get help. Chances were it wouldn’t bleed to death in the meantime, but… he didn’t feel _certain_ by any means. Incredibly frustrated, he _felt_ like pacing, letting the movement clear his head so he could just th-

“... Thf… _fth_ -ine?” With a low groan, the humanoid thing tried a second time. “ _Fffh-_ fine..??”

Hushing a high-pitched squeak of alarm, the academic tried to calm his thudding heart as protested this situation it's owner had dragged it into. No, it wasn't going to escape, not today! Klug… kind of needed it to _live,_ after all.

"Y-yes, everything is… is fine," the mage intoned, one hand clutching the precious lamp's handle while his fingers ran over the mostly smooth surface of the watch hanging 'round his neck. "I… I won't hurt you, it's okay."


	4. A Mistake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This shouldn't have happened.

_Why?!_ Why _them?!_ They had just… wanted to be left alone. It was a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, was all. It was… a mistake. Trying to explain that had been a waste of time, as dealing with humans often was. Not fighting back had _also_ been a mistake, a mistake they still seemed to be paying for.

Being beaten had _hurt,_ but it would’ve healed in time. _Sealing,_ though?! How long had it been since they’d entered that dreamless sleep? And… why had they been set free now? All that came to mind was, well, finishing what had already been _started._ It was _stupid._ Why go to the trouble of sealing a demon at _all_ if you’d wanted to kill it all along?! Maybe the idiots thought some stupid, complicated ritual was required, so they’d been fridged in preparation. It wasn’t just sick, it was _cruel._

Right now, _everything_ hurt. _Breathing_ hurt, and their startled hiss had been yet another mistake, lungs aching from the resulting coughing fit. On the bright side, it hadn’t been _wet,_ but the burning sensation was still painful. Not that it even _mattered…_ they were still going to die, coughing up blood or not. They were going to die, and nothing they could do would change that.

True, it was strange that they’d only seen _one_ human so far, but there had to be more. There were _always_ more, and the room wasn’t exactly a large one. Or maybe this was one of those ‘rite of passage’ things? Slaying them in this state wouldn’t be a _challenge_ , but it probably didn’t matter. Rites were more of a symbolic gesture, usually. Taking down a healthy stag or a sickly, crippled one were about the same thing, when it came down to it.

… Strange, just being stared at like this. They weren’t really paying attention when they were barked at the first time. The second time, though… the _tone_ was what they noticed. Whatever the silly little human had said was a mystery, something in an unfamiliar tongue. But… it sounded gentle. Part of it seemed to be a question. What could be asked of them in that kind of voice? It wasn’t how one generally asked another if they were ready to _die._

Maybe the youth was a foreigner, someone who… who _didn’t_ want their blood. It wasn’t _impossible,_ just… very, _very_ unlikely. Still, trying to pick out _some_ word, to speak just to prove that they _could…_ well, it was a distraction, even if it wound up being pointless.

  
It couldn’t make things any worse _._


	5. Chatter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's not the worst conversation ever, but...

"... H-hurt?" It seemed to roll the word around its mouth, finally settling on, "nhh, _hurts…"_

Not exactly a conversation, but… it was a start. Either that, or the thing was simply imitating what he’d said. Certainly a possibilit-

Klug’s internal monologue ground to a halt as the whatever it was continued to speak. Its voice was hard to make out through the raspiness, but words were _certainly_ coming out of its mouth… though, he couldn’t _understand_ any of it. Quizzically, it looked in his direction, flicking its one visible ear as it waited. It… wanted a reply. It wanted a reply that the self-professed scholar was unable to provide.

“I’m… sorry. I k-know that you’re talking, but… I can’t understand. _Heavens,_ I wish I could, but… I can’t…” There was an indescribable _something_ that picked at his mind about the words it used, but… he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. He knew a handful of languages from around the continent, but this wasn’t _remotely_ similar.

The creature seemed less tense, somehow, tapping a claw against the stone flooring as though mulling something over. “ _Nhh,_ uhn… understand… talk _ing?_ Talk…”

… Well, it wasn’t the _worst_ conversation Klug had ever had in his life. At least _this_ one wasn’t concerning dubious soup he’d no intention of eating. Gradually, he moved closer, though any out of place noise or movement and he was ready to bolt in an instant. Toeing the edge of the ruined circle, he carefully placed his light, showing his battered speaking partner his open, empty palms. “See? I’ve no intention of hurting you. Nothing up my sleeves, either.” It was a pointless joke but still helped preserve his delicate sense of calm. Panic, he knew, was _contagious._

Crouching brought him closer, allowing him to make out more of the crumpled form… but that raised more questions in the scholar’s mind than it answered. Through the shredded fabric, tufts of what looked like fur poked through, paler patches mixed in with others that looked to be dyed with deep maroon. More clothes, or was it… part of its body? Nowhere _near_ brave enough to peel back the ruined shirt to investigate, he focused on what he could see clearly. Blood didn’t seem to be pooling anywhere obvious, which was good, and many of the reddish patches and streaks were well dried. That didn’t mean there weren’t _more_ elsewhere, out of si-

“Talk..? You talk...” It let out a tired breath, adding in its own tongue, “ _hopefully you understand…”_

Klug squeaked, startled into falling backwards onto his own rump. Not exactly a _dignified_ reaction, but there wasn’t much he could do about that _now._ Thankful that his glasses hadn’t fallen off in the process, he adjusted the lenses and blinked. At least his outburst hadn’t seemed to upset the unsealed creature. Quietly, he creaked, “d-do _I_ talk, or… are you asking me _to_ talk? I-I mean I _can,_ though I t-tend to babble when I’m nervous, so i-if that works for you, well, all the better?”

“I… wish I could ask if you had any serious wounds. You're hurt, but… I have no idea how badly. I… I really want to help you." He didn't have a death wish, though, and those large, imposing claws commanded a certain sense of respect. Laying hands on the stranger seemed like an excellent way to lose something… or be gutted outright. Being the sensible type, Klug had brought a _few_ supplies with him in his satchel. With how dry its voice sounded…

  
It watched him unsling his bag, expression unchanging as he rifled around, withdrawing a medium-sized metal bottle. Unscrewing the cover, he set it aside and undid the cap itself. Normally he didn't drink from the cover that served as a plain, smallish cup, but it seemed useful in this particular situation. Filling the vessel halfway, Klug took a sip from the bottle directly before sliding the cup closer to the odd being. "See? It's, ah, _water._ It's safe to drink. Y-you know, if you _want_ to. I… thought you might like it?"


	6. Thirst

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nothing's ever easy, is it?

… _Wow,_ the human certainly had turned into a chatterbox. Still, the more the oddly-dressed boy babbled, the more connections they could make between languages more familiar and, well, whatever this new dialect was. There were hints of similarities, suggesting a common root, but… the _pronunciation_ of the words was throwing them off. For now, context seemed more helpful. If they survived, they'd _adore_ getting a look at something in writing.

Invested in trying to puzzle out more workable terms, they weren't paying a great deal of attention to their chattering companion's actions, disinterestedly watching without really seeing. The _scent_ caught their attention, though, simple and mundane as it was. _Water. Oh,_ they _were_ thirsty, the sight of it being poured making their throat ache. This human wasn't just teasing them? Apparently not, as the metal cap was pushed within their reach, their benefactor even taking a sip to assure them it wasn't poisoned or the like. Kind of cute, but not necessary… even in this woeful state their nose worked perfectly well.

Slowly, they reached toward their prize, unwilling to risk snatching the cup and potentially spilling it with a clumsy grab. _Drinking_ it was, well, another matter entirely. Lying on their side… it just wasn't feasible. They _groaned,_ realising they'd have to move their aching body. _Ugh,_ just when they were starting to get used to the dull throbbing, they just _had_ to move and aggravate their tormented flesh. But… they really wanted that drink…

Hesitantly, they rocked, flopping over onto their stomach with a weak thud. It didn’t hurt as much as they'd anticipated, though finding purchase with their claws to push themselves up made up for it. _Almost..!_ But, with a cry of dismay, one of their palms slipped on the old stonework and broken gem fragments, their remaining arm unable to cope with the sudden weight and leaving them to pitch forward in a heap. It _hurt,_ though it wasn't the pain that brought tears to their eyes. Caught in the struggle, the upended cup's contents spilled out, liquid soaking into the parched stonework. Even if they abandoned all sense of dignity and tried lapping the contents off of the floor… it was already _gone,_ lost to the dust and minute rocky pores. Face screwing up in a mask of hopeless frustration, they started to whimper. They started to cry.

The demon didn't register the soft, repetitive words their companion uttered, too depressed to care. They continued to sob, not only over the loss of a drink they desperately needed but over just what had _led_ to their current pitiful state. To be reduced to _this,_ a disheveled, injured wreck lying on a dusty floor, openly weeping in front of a larva of the lifeforms that had imprisoned it… their pride ached just as much as their body.

  
_Everything_ hurt.


	7. Tension

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Understandable, really...

Klug couldn't stand it anymore. Watching the odd being try so hard, only to crumble into a crying heap… it was too reminiscent of experiences _he'd_ suffered through. None quite _this_ extreme, mind, but understanding even a _fraction_ of that pain tore at him. Gingerly, he knelt by its side, trying to offer gentle reassurances. "Hey, hey… it'll be fine, okay? There's more water, so _please_ don't cry over that. I'll, ah, h-help you sit up. You'll be alright, I… I assure you."

… At least the claws hadn't darted out and sunk into him yet. Up close, he could see just how _thick_ the nails were, mildly curved and quite sharp looking. _Please,_ **_please_ ** _don't use them,_ he fretted, an uncomfortable knot forming in his throat. He reached for the empty flipped vessel, placing it right-side up and refilling it from the larger metal container. That done, he recapped the bottle, pondering how to get their new acquaintance upright without getting himself killed. _Heavens,_ if he died here, would anyone even find his body..?

"I-I'm going to help you sit up, alright? Don't p-panic or anything, I'm just going to…"

The creature squealed in alarm, curling into as tight a ball it could manage as it let out a series of terrified whimpers. Fearing being clawed or worse, the mage drew his hands back in a flash, trying to ensure his own safety. But… the bedraggled ball of dirty cloth, hide and fluff just stayed in place, shivering. Frightened, obviously, but… it was scared of _him._ Something so strange and imposing seemed convinced that _he_ was a threat, one that it couldn't fend off in its current state.

"I-it's okay," he tried not to choke, uncomfortable seeing an intelligent being suffer, "I won't hurt you, I _promise_ that I won't! Please, trust me, I'm not an enemy! I… I want to help…"

Judging from the way its ears raised as he muttered gentle platitudes, it _definitely_ heard him, but remained in a huddled, shivering ball. Unable to impress the depths of his feelings through words, he shoved aside the fear of personal injury and… slowly petted the miserable creature like a domestic cat or dog. The parallel only deepened as his fingers slipped through a gap in the shredded cloth.

The short hair that poked through didn't seem to be a second layer of clothing… it was part of its body. Dirty in places, some discolored with dried ichor, but… it felt so _soft_ beneath his hand, like a cross between fur and velvet. Since he hadn't been gutted immediately, Klug continued to pet his strange new companion, speaking softly the entire time.

“Please, _please_ don’t cry. I… I only want to _help,_ e-even if I’m… I’m obviously not very good at it. _Stars,_ if you’d only been found by someone _else...”_ He grumbled under his breath, bemoaning his lack of expertise when it came to, well, _people._ His idol wouldn’t have had _any_ trouble coaxing the scared creature into trusting him. Of his classmates, Lidelle would’ve been the best at forging a connection, so timid that she couldn’t _be_ perceived as a threat. Both she and this thing had slightly similar ears, come to think of it, though not as long and lacking the tufts. Actually, apart from the darkened tips, they looked most similar to those of Arle’s old self-professed ‘friend’, the ‘Dark Prince’ Sata-

His fingers froze as the surface beneath them gradually moved. One glowing eye peered at him, joined by a trembling voice that whispered, “don’t… hurt me?”

“No hurting,” the startled mage breathed out a sigh of relief, “please, I just want to help. Will you let me help you?”


	8. Sorry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's not you, really!

They’d… probably overreacted. But, it’s not like they didn’t have a _reason_ to. Having their arm grabbed, _pulled,_ they’d… panicked, fearing being dragged onto their back and having their most vulnerable spots exposed. Being curled up like a hassled pillbug wasn’t the _perfect_ protection, but kept a blade from being slid between their ribs or having their windpipe crushed.

But… this one didn’t seem _interested_ in killing them, an impression further reinforced as the medium-sized human stroked their back. It was almost comforting, and the human’s fingers had been as gentle as the words he kept repeating. _‘Please’_ had to be an entreaty of sorts. He wanted them to believe something, that he’d _‘help’_ . An offer of aid, or assistance? That jived with the attempt at giving them water… _oh,_ they were still so thirsty, too.

Slowly, the demon uncurled from their protective position, keeping a wary eye on their companion. The human didn't hesitate to offer them a shoulder, lending them the support necessary to prop their shaky body up into a rough approximation of sitting position. Finding the cup passed into their trembling claws, they forced themself to imbibe small sips despite their thirst. Being starved for liquid, a sudden glut could cause more problems than it would solve.

This human was a strange one in _so_ many respects outside of his sympathetic attitude toward them. Language, clothing style, even the way he _smelled_ was odd. He smelled so… _clean,_ not that the demon was complaining. Definitely not a laborer, they decided, and considering how fancily he was dressed… _maybe_ someone important, as well. Purple dye was notoriously difficult to produce, after all. This one wore a preponderance of it and didn't display concern for having it soiled. To consider such finery disposable… it suggested _status._ Having a person like that on their side could be useful, worth discarding what little dignity they had left, even if it meant capitulating to the larva until they were strong enough. The little guy didn’t look like much, physically, but his arcane potential made their antenne itch. Normally, a mage of this calibre wouldn’t be much of a threat, but in this state he could do them serious harm.

Acting friendly toward a lower life form wouldn’t kill them. Provoking him _might._

  
  


Curled up at his side, the strange being nursed their cup slowly, using him for support to keep from spilling onto the floor again. Up close like this, Klug could catch the scent of dried blood and just a hint of burnt hair. He… wondered if some of the soft fuzz that had covered the thing’s back had gotten singed before its imprisonment. More to the point, he wondered just who could _do_ such a thing… it _seemed_ harmless enough. Watching the sealed creature drink, Klug rested his cheek in his palm, mumbling to himself. "You don't _seem_ very threatening, do you..?"

"... No threat," it murmured softly, a tapered ear flickering as it stared fixedly at the choppy water in its steadily vibrating cup. If it had ever _been_ dangerous, it wasn't anymore.

And… the skittish creature was _fascinating_ to look at. In the lamplight, its sullen eyes glowed a faint amethyst, casting a pinkish glow over its soft facial features. Were it human, he’d guess they were slightly older than him, but not by much. Its clawed hands were larger than his by a fair margin and covered in a darker, sandy-looking hide, but it didn’t seem inclined to use them against him. The way both its ears and long, plume-like antenne flickered from time to time… it was almost charming.

Little by little, the bottle of water was drained until it was gone. With a soft mewl of disappointment, his new ‘friend’ rested its head on his shoulder, quiet aside from the sound of soft breathing. He allowed it to rest there for some time, just basking in its… warmth? Yes, the temperature of its body _was_ warm. Perhaps it was normal, or… a result of its wretched state. Klug couldn’t be certain, but it seemed merely tired rather than sick.

"... Sorry," it sighed, continuing in its own tongue, _"I'm sorry for panicking. You don't_ **_seem_ ** _hostile, it's just been a bad… day? How much have I missed? Months? Years? I… don't even know."_

  
Considering how hard the odd being had been trying to make sense of _his_ language… would it be appropriate for the mage to try? Adjusting his glasses, he cleared his throat, creaking, _"I, ah… bad?"_


	9. Satiated

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Is the easiest way to a demon's heart through its stomach?

The demon's ears perked up. Yes, this human’s accent made him nigh-unintelligible, but at least he had _tried._ As lousy as they felt, they couldn't help snickering softly, their lips twisting into a toothy grin. _"N-no, you're… you're_ **_not_ ** _bad. Not a terrible first try, but_ **_wow,_ ** _your pronunciation needs work."_

… Not that they probably sounded much better with their chiefly two-word speech attempts. 

A pity there wasn’t any more water. Still, at least they’d gotten _some…_ though, since their throat was no longer aching for want of refreshment they noticed fresh pangs of hunger. Their stomach roiled, voicing an audible complaint that drew their benefactor’s attention. Mortified, they looked away, ears dipping from the embarrassment of unintentionally broadcasting yet _another_ weakness to their companion. It wasn’t as though they _meant_ to, it just happe-

Catching the sound of light shuffling, they turned their attention back to the human, watching curiously as the clawless hands rifled around inside an unassuming leather satchel. His companion made a sound of quiet accomplishment, withdrawing a rectangular something, wrapped in a clear material whose wrinkles caught the lamplight in bizarre ways. _Almost like water,_ they noted, puzzled as much by the wrapping as they were interested in its content. The aroma pushed their curiosity aside, however, wide-eyed as they began to salivate.

It was edible, whatever it was, and it had honey in it. _Honey._

The human handed over the small prize and watched the ravenous demon devour it without hesitance.

Normally they weren't a fan of grain, but the nut-studded oat bar melted in their mouth, the honey binding the materials dissolving and teasing their tongue. They _loved_ the sweet substance, their long plumes seeming to curl as they savored it. The oats gradually turned to a less palatable mush, but they were still technically edible.

… The human was still staring as they licked the dust-laced honey residue from their claws. Was he hungry, too? Oh, and they hadn't offered so much as a _bite_ of the bar, wolfing the entire thing down. They needed it, yes, but aggravating their potential ally could be dangerous, if not fatal. Their claws started shaking again as they were handed an unfamiliar fruit. From the scent, it certainly _seemed_ edible. Holding the round-ish, mostly red object in an open palm, they mewled, offering the edible back to its rightful owner.

With a soft shake of his head, the boy smiled, mumbling something too softly for them to make out. Still clutching the fruit, a look of confused dejection formed in their luminous eyes. To be rejected outright… it knicked their tattered sense of pride. Generally, if a demon offers one a gift, one accepts it. But… oh, this human probably just didn't _know,_ did he? They… shouldn't take it as an insult.

"Hey, it's okay. You need it more right now," their green-eyed companion cooed, palm hesitantly resting on their shoulder. So, he wasn't _scared,_ at least, and the move wasn't obviously threatening. Unsure of how to respond, if at all, they cocked their head, curiously eyeing the smallish hand with its blunted nails. Amazing that the species could _manage_ with such short claws, really… they wondered if…

  
Sharp points driving into the flesh of the fruit, they carved a cleavage line, hoping it would- _crack._ Breaking with a crisp snap, the edible broke into two rough-edged halves, exposing the pale, mildly aromatic flesh. Gouging out the fragments of core and seeds, they offered half of the fruit this time, hoping the gesture would be accepted. Though the boy gave them a worried look, he took it this time, hand remaining on their shoulder as he daintily nibbled.


	10. Drone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a moment wouldn't hurt, right?

_Honestly,_ did it have to be so stubborn..? Klug sighed, trying to ignore just how _unsanitary_ it was to consume an apple split apart by claws that hadn’t been washed in heavens _knew_ how long. Still, it seemed to make the strange individual happy as it sucked the sweet fruit’s juices from its own piece through largely pointed teeth. He ate, regardless of the taste of ancient dust and whatnot that tainted the snack. At least his new friend didn’t seem to have blood on its claws. That... was comforting, actually.

… It… started to purr in his ear, a calm, low rumble that somehow eased his nerves. No growling or hissing, just a soft and rolling drone. After so much fear and frustration, it was good to hear something _positive_ from his strange companion. _So you’re capable of feeling happy,_ the mage smiled, no longer noticing the imperfections in his half of the split apple. Without realizing it, he’d moved his hand from the creature’s shoulder, lightly scratching beneath its ear.

Sharp-looking fangs sunk firmly into the fruit as it chewed, the odd being’s eyes went slightly hazy as the contented hum intensified, tapered ears drooping as its owner relaxed. It didn’t seem to object to the magic user’s mild touch, neither retreating nor leaning into it.

Strange as the situation was, Klug couldn't help but feel oddly peaceful in the moment. His anxieties remained, but their urgency diminished as he sat next to the unsealed creature and listened to the gentle sounds it made.

Once the apple was gone, his companion shifted a little, settling its head on his shoulder as it gradually dozed off. The purr diminished, but didn't stop, filling the largely noiseless void in this corner of the otherwise vacant ruins with a lulling drone.

… Surely a brief rest couldn't hurt. The mage really didn't want to disturb his sleepy friend since it didn't seem to be in any mortal danger or pain. He'd just rest his eyes a bit while waiting for them to wake u-

Drained both emotionally and physically, Klug gave into the siren's song of sleep, made more potent by his companion's soothing sounds.


	11. Musings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Up until the incident, they had found humans rather amusing, honestly.

_Oh,_ they felt so much better..!

No longer starved, parched or exhausted, the demon felt well enough to chance standing up despite the fancy-looking human larva's protestations. They wobbled a little, yes, but who wouldn't after being trapped for… some time..?

The state of the converted storeroom suggested that it hadn't seen use for several years, which was understandable. It _had_ been the site in which a 'monster' had been sealed… a tenuous hold, at best, if this little one had broken it. Suddenly feeling curious, they knelt to investigate the largely ruined magic circle. An elemental enhancement of sorts, meant to boost the power of a singular item. There was another script, a modification. It was smudged and they couldn't be certain, but this had been powerful stuff. The residents of this place were known dabblers… take a basic spell, then modify it, _twist_ it beyond all recognition. _Careless,_ that sort of thing chanced all _sorts_ of unintended side effects. Someday, one of their pompous sages would meddle with the wrong thing an-

The quiet rattle of the metal lantern made their claws twitch involuntarily. _Still nervous,_ they let out a soft groan, glancing at the human who crouched by their side. Judging from the mild scowl that wrinkled the young mage's brow, he comprehended parts of it, but not all. Considering his unfamiliar tongue and reliance on lamplight to navigate the dark, it was understandable. Humans… relied on the presence of light to see, didn't they? The thought brought a tiny dry chuckle to their throat, amused by how _inconvenient_ that must be.

Odd that humans had become so numerous, really. Nature had been unkind to them, making them reliant on tools and magic just to meet their basic needs. They couldn't even keep warm in winter without dressing in layers! For the demon, clothes weren't a necessity, merely a frivolous indulgence. A nice silk shirt lent an air of civility to most occasions… and felt pleasant on their sandy hide, too.

It wasn’t that they looked down on the species, exactly, but it was difficult finding common ground with beings so short-lived. Still, they were quite industrious when given the proper motivation and didn’t take much to tempt. Prolific writers, too, perhaps owing to their tenuous grasp on life.

Still, they were _incredibly_ fickle and quick to turn when it suited them. A rumor, a _coincidence,_ and the wretches wouldn’t hesitate to stab former friends and allies in the back. The demon… had found that out, the hard way. 

Yet, now they had little choice but to trust in a human... and a magic user, at that!

This time, the demon hoped it wasn’t a mistake.


	12. Don't

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some things... you're better off not knowing.

Even with the lamplight, the windowless dark was starting to wear on Klug. It wasn’t the lack of light as much as it was the sense of confinement, surrounded by stone on all sides with precious little to break up the sense of being  _ entombed,  _ of being buried alive. The skin on the back of his neck started to itch uncomfortably.

He  _ really _ needed to leave. It wasn’t as though either he or his new friend had pressing reasons to  _ stay… _

Though, that book, with the red leather and golden trim… leaving it here seemed like such a waste.

Kneeling in the dust, Klug reached for the discarded tome, but a set of claws came out of nowhere and slammed down on the faded crimson cover. Hands snapping to his chest, he yelped, unsure why his companion had reacted so violently. Confused, he watched its chest rise and fall in rapid succession, its face a grimacing mask of… of  _ terror. _ Being hostile toward its former prison made sense, but…

_ "Don't," _ it mewled, staring at him pensively with its ears and peculiar antenne-like plumes held rigid, almost seeming to tremble.  _ "Hurts.  _ Hurt  _ me.  _ Mhg… might hurt  _ you." _

Could it? Without the circle, whatever power it possessed would be greatly diminished, but the unsealed creature seemed so  _ agitated, _ so distressed by his attempt to pick the volume up that he had little choice but to abandon it… for now, at least.

As he made to exit the long-forgotten storeroom, his new friend hesitated, peering around the door frame, claws scraping little white lines into the ancient stone arch. It was still scared..? Of what, those who had imprisoned it, perhaps?

“Come on, it’s okay,” he tried to sound reassuring, casting the light of the lantern down the vacant passage, “nobody will hurt you. It’s, ah,  _ empty.” _

Hesitantly, his companion followed him through the formerly concealed entry, the tension in its frame more than obvious. It seemed… confused, sniffing at the stale air like a hound trying to catch an elusive scent.

Leaving the passage open like this… it wouldn’t do. What if someone else chanced upon the bizarre book and snatched it in his absence?! Without consideration, he reactivated the arcane mechanism, making his friend cry out and skitter behind him. “Ah..! S-sorry, I didn’t mean to… I just thought leaving it open was…”

  
_ Ooh, _ this was going to be a long trip home, wasn’t it..?


	13. Change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It is inevitable.

Being wary was natural, _understandable,_ even!.. but hiding behind the human like a frightened kitten didn’t do much for the tattered vestiges of their pride. Their nervous reaction to the sliding stone temporarily distracted them, momentarily blinding them to a more obvious and far more pressing truth. 

The hidden hallway and its adjacent rooms had been vacant, understandably. It was natural to leave it forgotten and abandoned. But… this room was the same, bare and ominously silent. No decor, no signs of life. As was the one after that. And the one after that. Save for the odd bit of rubble and scattered detritus, nothing. Everything that should have been was missing. Everyone that had lived here was gone. Virtually every surface was coated in undisturbed layers of fine particles. No sound, no scent, just… _emptiness._

  
This wasn't simply deserted or abandoned… it was a  _ tomb,  _ a monument neglected and forgotten.

When… had it become this way?

Shouldn’t that make them feel better? Those who had imprisoned it… not only were they absent, it seemed they no longer _existed._ They couldn’t hurt the demon anymore.

So… why didn’t it make them happy? Total oblivion was more complete a punishment than any the demon could have _dreamed_ of.

… They wanted to go home. They wanted to curl up in front of a fire, sipping tea and lost in a novel and _forget that anything had ever happened._ They’d forget about the cruelties done to them if it meant everything could go back to normal.

  
Exiting the ruins in a mild daze and staring across the twilight landscape, any thoughts of returning to the life they’d been accustomed to were dashed. Apart from the sand and the starry sky itself… _everything_ had changed.


	14. Dazed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It just... keeps staring.

Dragging his charge home had been uneventful, at least, but there was something eerie about the blank look in the strange being’s eyes as its head had swiveled aimlessly, taking in everything and yet nothing all at once. Still, Klug had managed to make it home before full dark. Navigating with only a lamp and a scatterbrain in tow wouldn’t have been  _ fun,  _ to put it mildly.

At least he wouldn’t need to explain his guest to anybody. Apart from himself and his present company, the two-story home was empty. His parents travelled… well, most of the time, as of late. The older he became, the less they seemed to be present. Still, it was  _ fine. _ He was capable enough, no,  _ more _ than capable enough to take care of himself!

… Sometimes, though, he couldn’t help feeling the tiniest bit lonely.

_ Stop it,  _ he admonished himself,  _ you’re not alone right  _ **_now_ ** _ , so stop feeling sorry for yourself! _

Right. He had a guest… who was silently hanging near the closed front door, seeming to be in a state of shock. If only he could ask it what was  _ wrong,  _ then maybe steps could be taken to  _ help _ the poor thing. Until morning, there wasn’t much he could do. The clinic wasn’t open nights, and unless it was an  _ extreme _ emergency…  _ ugh. _ With a sigh, he dropped his satchel, taking the creature’s hand and dragging it into the kitchen with him.

Without complaint, it settled at the table, staring blankly at the clean, white surface as he busied himself. Fetching glasses, he drew water from the tap, placing one of the clear cylinders before the catatonic whatever-it-was. Hopefully, the promise of a drink would rouse it from its stupor.

Slowly, its nose twitched, apparently detecting what its eyes were unable to. It blinked, gradually seeming to focus as its clawed fingers grasped the tall cup, lifting the vessel to take small sips. Every action it took seemed  _ subdued,  _ even as it finally started to look around, scanning the kitchen with an aimless gaze. It didn’t seem to know where to start.

  
“You’re safe, so try not to worry. I’ll, ah, f-find something to eat, alright?” Whether it wanted food or not, Klug was famished. He hadn’t meant to spend so long in the ruins, but, well, lots of things happened without anyone  _ meaning _ to. At least he was only suffering from the pangs of hunger. He wondered what his new friend would like… something sweet probably. Fruit wasn't exactly a  _ meal, _ but as an appetizer, perhaps…?


	15. Numb

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything is different.

They felt… well, _numb_ was probably the best way to describe it. The things they'd seen while being mutely towed by their companion… a vast sea of grass where a hamlet had once stood, a _different,_ larger township nearby with unfamiliar architecture, obviously established for some time, but for _how_ long, they couldn't begin to guess. Everything even _smelled_ strange, hints of ozone but less of an organic reek to everything. Most of the sounds it could pick up in the quiet evening were alien as well, save the quiet chirping of crickets and the odd drone of a cicada.

… Not much, but it was _something,_ at least.

The demon hadn't objected to being led by the wrist. They wouldn't have known where to go, anyway. Since the human seemed to bear no ill will towards them, anyplace he wanted to take them was probably as suitable as any other. At least there would presumably be a roof over their head, for all the good it would do them.

In their daze, they barely took in the atmosphere of the well-intentioned larva's dwelling, a jumble of forms they could recognize and those they couldn't fathom. Once seated, the only thing that they truly noticed was an irritating, low-pitched hum that didn't seem to end, just continuously boring into their unresponsive mind. From time to time, it made their ear flicker, but that was all.

Almost automatically, the demon's claws closed around a clear vessel of water placed before them, sipping at it from time to time. Staring into the slowly emptying glass, they weren't sure of, well,  _ anything _ anymore. The small region that had once been their home had changed so drastically that if not for the topography, they could've mistaken it for someplace else, somewhere they'd never been before.

_Home._

What chance was there that it still existed? Very little, they reflected miserably. It had been a 'castle' mostly in name and reputation, more than a house yet not a sprawling fortress of stone by any means. Probably felled shortly after their confinement in a further act of petty revenge. They didn't have the heart to act angry about it… left fallow, it probably would have decayed into a husk by now, anyway, whenever 'now' _was._

It might have been kinder to leave them confined, trapped in a dreamless sleep until their prison had somehow been destroyed. They were a stranger, now, unmoored and directionless in a place utterly unfamiliar with no chance of making their way back home. They felt so utterly _lost_ a-

The sound of earthenware being set down nearby on the tabletop made them jump, ears pricked up in mild alarm. Blinking, they raised their eyes to investigate the source of the sound, taking in the sight of a plate set with various fruit, all neatly sliced and arranged.

Lost as they were, they weren't _alone._

Silently nibbling at a sectioned piece, the demon started to weep again.


	16. Support

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's good to feel useful, sometimes.

Of all the possible reactions, _that_ was one that Klug hadn't anticipated. Maybe… maybe his guest was more injured than they'd appeared to be, and the pain had only hit them now. Maybe this _was_ an emergency, and he'd misjudged and the creature was hurting because he'd been _so_ adamant about getting something to eat _first_ an-

His train of thought derailed, his mounting sense of panic jackknifed as an unexpected weight pressed into his side. Fearing the worst, he looked down, whimpering at…

… At a quiet, sad-faced individual leaning in its seat, chewing on a small piece of fruit. It looked so lonely that he just remained there, standing, letting his new friend rest against him.

It seemed like an eternity before the mage mustered up the courage to speak, voice unintentionally cracking under the strain. "Ah… a-are you okay? Are you hurt or… or in pain?"

"Nhhm..? Not hurt," its ears dipped, the cogs inside its head almost audibly turning as it tried to find what it wanted to express, but couldn't, momentarily baring its fangs in an expression of pure frustration. In its native tongue, it grumbled something lower than the scholar's hearing could make sense of.

"You… don't want to be alone, do you..?" Without meaning to, his fingers once again strayed from lightly touching its shoulder to scratching gently beneath one of the thing's long, tapered ears. He knew it wasn't a _pet,_ was an intelligent _being,_ but… he couldn't help but feel a little protective. It was vulnerable, skittish, bewildered and… and _lonely._

For now, at least, it _needed_ him. Nobody had ever _needed_ him before, not really. His classmates would pick his brain on a regular basis (and why wouldn't they?), sometimes ask inane questions about trivial matters they would have known already if they'd _only paid attention in class_ , but… it wasn't like this. They didn't depend on his answers or guidance to _succeed,_ just… to prop them up a little.

Patiently, he waited for the creature to finish eating, listening to a faint but audible rumbling that seemed to originate from inside its chest. Under his breath, the mage whispered, "you're very welcome…"


	17. Old Wounds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *Growling noise*

Their spate of tears didn't _accomplish_ anything, the demon knew, but it had felt necessary. Crying into the sleeve of the larval human would've been mortifying were their circumstances less severe, but an outlet of _some_ sort helped!.. and didn't seem to disgust their new ally. If anything, their apparent weakness garnered more sympathy. He'd _hugged_ them, disheveled and filthy as they were.

Despite the communication gap between them, the demon couldn't deny that the boy's presence was a welcome distraction. Reassuring words, a hand on their shoulder… it eased the suffocating feeling of being apart from all that was familiar and safe.

_This,_ though, they weren't sure about. Having foreign hands methodically probing their more vulnerable, fuzzy torso, cold antiseptic wetting them down whenever the human saw something that troubled them… so _intrusive!_ The minor stinging sensations were barely worth registering, a twitch of their plumes at most. It was the clawless hands on their body that made the demon squirm and struggle not to flinch. However long they'd been confined, their memories were still fresh, so _raw_ as to be bloody.

The wards had been the worst. Hateful enchantments they'd been, forged with the intent of sealing the demon's magic and sapping their strength… but they'd done more than that. They'd _hurt,_ they'd hurt them so _deeply,_ past flesh and marrow to stab mercilessly into their very _soul._ Being run through with a _blade_ would have hurt less.

Never, _ever_ again. If any sought to bind them a second time, the demon would _fight…_ even if it meant perishing in the process.

… Huh? Light pressure closed around their hand, gently squeezing a couple of clawed fingers. Their ears twitched as their attention turned to the larval human, an expression of deep concern in his pale features.

"Ah… a-are you okay? You, um, s-started shivering and, well, _growling._ Does this hurt too much..? A-admittedly I'm not exactly _used_ to treating wounds, so I… I'm sorry." Big green eyes behind wire-rimmed glasses dipping, as though he were ashamed, he sighed and swept a few loose hairs back into his bangs. "Tomorrow… I'll show you to a doctor, first thing. They'll know what they're doing more than I do."

Their companion seemed… troubled? Many of the words still lacked any connection in their mind, a mass of meaningless noise. But, the human apologized, wanted to know if they were hurt… wanted to know if he had hurt _them,_ maybe? Ridiculous. Lips parting to reveal more fangs than was appropriate, they barked out a soft, airy laugh.

"Not hurt," they _purred,_ thin plumes raising in amusement as they chuckled, _"you really are an apologetic little thing, aren't you? It stings, but that's all."_

_Nhh…_ they _really_ wished they could hold a proper conversation. Right now, their comprehension was infuriatingly _limited._

So wrapped up in their bitter memories, the demon hadn't been paying that much attention to what the silly human had been doing. Now, they looked over his work, curious just how well their injuries had been knitting. Flesh wounds, especially shallow ones, were often more annoying than dangerous given how rapidly their body healed. Still, the apologetic little thing had found a few deeper ones, cleaning up the rare edges with antiseptic. The furrows carved into their upper arms still had a ways to go, but weren't weeping blood anymore.

This was good, very good.

Now, if they could just get a bath…


	18. Distraction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dear journal, today I found a weird critter locked in a book...

Methodically, Klug had been seeking out his strange guest's injuries, disinfecting the myriad small wounds, most of which had at least started to scab over. What caught his attention the most were the angry-looking gashes set into their upper arms. Odd, he'd been sure the marks had been deeper when he'd spied them back in the ruins. It's not as though he  _ wanted _ them to be more severe, but he prided himself on noticing small details.

_ Oh,  _ what he'd give for a chance to put pen to paper and start a new entry for his observation journal. It would have to wait until he had a few moments to himself, in private. Everything about this strange entity just  _ begged _ to be written down and cataloged safely in script. Memory was fine, for now, but the sharpness would dull in time, losing finer points that might become relevant later.

It wasn't  _ just _ for this unknown creature… he'd done the same for practically everyone vaguely important to him, though some entries were less comprehensive than others. Most of his notes concerning, say, Amitie, were less focused on the person herself than that bizarre hat of hers. Still, the information  _ could _ be useful in a variety of circumstances, even if the most practical tended to be as banal as figuring out whose birthday was when… though, even  _ that _ much was difficult to determine for the reanimated, deceased or those who just couldn't  _ talk. _

… This one  _ had _ to have a birthday, didn't it?

The low, rumbling growl made him jump, the ball of cotton he'd been using to clean up the last of the long gashes dropping from his hands. Had he pressed too hard? Found something especially tender? He opened his mouth, intending to apologize (for all the good it would do), but… his guest wasn't looking at  _ him,  _ instead focused on… well,  _ nothing. _

However menacing the creature  _ sounded,  _ its face didn't reflect that at all. All that displayed there was a sense of pain and… sadness. The odd feathery things set into its scalp drooped, teeth bared but not in an obvious display meant to show them off.

Whatever was wrong, it had nothing to do with him. A memory, perhaps?

Fingers closing over one of its stilled, clawed hands, Klug spoke, trying to break the spell his new friend was under.

  
Maybe he wasn't the  _ best _ conversationalist, but all he needed to do was be a distraction.


	19. Sudsy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Or, "How to Bathe Your Demon".

Although not as big as the demon would've hoped, their eyes lit up in _ecstatic glee_ as they watched the cool porcelain basin fill, fiddling with the taps in an attempt to get the water as hot as possible. If they'd been more observant of their surroundings, they would've noticed their host flinching as scalding water flowed through their rough-hewn fingers, throwing steam as it trickled into the bath proper.

As it was, they weren't paying much attention to the lurking mage at all, technically bare as they were. Fine, dense fur-like setae covered the majority of their torso, striped in yellow, purples and pinks, obscuring anything their ally's species would find particularly offensive. It was marred in places by maroon stains, small patches bare where they'd already started to heal, but it was more or less intact. Thankfully, the mane-like collar of longer, white filaments draped over their shoulders and back hadn't suffered much. While mostly aesthetic, the demon was fond of their ruff. Unless they were custom crafted, wearing shirts meant keeping the white expanse flat against their body: a pity, but at least it could be done.

Now, though, as they curiously pawed through various soaps and sundries covered in illegible characters, the mass was fully puffed out, their ears giving the odd flicker whenever they found something of particular interest. Several of the vials were glass, but others were softer, yielding in their grip. The strangest were translucent, like glass but without the brittleness… and so _light._ A relative to the malleable material the snack in the ruins had been wrapped in, maybe, the stuff that had caught the light like water. If they could only _ask…_

  
Still, they found a couple with particularly pleasing scents, though all they _technically_ needed was something to separate the grime from their body proper. Unscrewing the cap, they emptied a good half of the container into the basin, surprised by the volume of foam it produced. Interesting… _very_ interesting...


	20. Incongruity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> None of this creature makes sense, help.

Klug didn't necessarily _intend_ to spy his new friend in the altogether, but abandoning it felt, well, _wrong._ He hadn't _expected_ it to strip down and start ferreting through the various toiletries, a stubby tail covered in the same fuzz as its body wriggling like that of an excitable dog. He… hadn't expected a tail. Frankly, the more of its body he saw, the further away he felt from identifying just what it _was._ Its upper extremities were all covered in the same weird, rough hide as their hands, before shifting into yet _more_ bi-color fuzz, wrists and ankles capped with a ring of that longer white stuff.

Unlikely to be an offshoot or hybridization of forest folk… none that he was aware of had tails anything _like_ that. While cleaning its wounds, he'd also noticed that the mystery guest's body had a visible segmentation, though it was soft and seamless. Reminiscent of an insect, but it was _clearly_ a warm-blooded being of some sort. Like a puzzle created specifically to stymie his ability to solve it, the thing seemed like a Frankenstein's monster of contradictory parts. There was nothing _consistent_ about its components at all, much like the radically varied historical descriptions of demons.

Even limited to accounts solely from the continent, few of the historical accounts ever seemed to mesh beyond an abundance of magical potential, glowing eyes and a general disregard for other forms of life. Demons tended toward despotism and possessiveness. As benign as Akuma was, for example, he fancied himself an unappointed guardian of Primp and its residents. _His_ territory, in other words, and heavens pity anyone attempting to test that. Even as an ally, the demon in the form of a stuffed bear was… _intimidating._ His erratic fits of boisterousness honestly scared Klug. A pity… the bear's depth of knowledge was va-

Wait. Glowing… eyes?

No, that… there were a few _other_ creatures and beings with luminescent or highly reflective eyes. Name almost any nocturnal predator and their eyes would nearly glow under the correct conditions. Granted, this wasn't a cat or a cockatrice, but a demon was nearly as far-fetched a proposition. While there was the odd soul with a drop of demonic blood in their lineage, proper ones were excessively rare, had been for well over a millennia. Akuma himself was merely a soul, a remnant of what he once was.

Whatever this was was strange, admittedly, but didn't meet the criteria as he knew it. It hadn't gutted him at its first convenience or tried to eat him, hadn't displayed _any_ form of spellcraft and… didn't seem to hate or resent him, though he'd been dragging it to and thro all evening. It had even insisted on sharing the apple he'd tried to feed it when it had obviously been starving.

It seemed, well… _nice,_ for lack of a better description. The interest it showed investigating the bottles had been sort of cute, not to mention the wagging 'tail'. The way its eyes lit up when it found something appealing made up for it upending half of the contents of a full bottle of shampoo that could've easily lasted ten or more uses…

  
... _Maybe_ five, in the case of the curious fuzzball.


	21. BOOKS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some demons crave domination, while others... well...

They were positively _beaming,_ surrounded by a small hillock of damp towels. Clean, mostly dry and smelling like an arrangement of mixed flowers, the demon _purred,_ their situation feeling a little less dire. True, they were minorly annoyed when the silly little human insisted on bandaging the deep wounds on their arms, but it was a minor irritant. Maybe… not being able to _see_ them would help them not to dwell on them, too, not to think of their skin being dug into by ch-

_It's. Over. Stop. Thinking. About. It._

There were so many _new_ things to observe, not to mention a writing system and language to master. _Yes_! And books, they wanted to get their claws on some written materials, not only to get an idea of the characters scrawled or printed on the pages, but to take comfort in the familiar. They wanted to feel the smoothness of vellum or sieved woodpulp beneath their fingertips, to just… take in the _scent_ of paper and cloth, old leather and binding materials.

Surely, if anything remained constant, it was the presence of books. Any race with a finite lifespan needed some way to pass on knowledge or customs, be it through songs or stories. The written word was well suited for that task, and the advent of the printing press had done much to proliferate texts. Given the larva's apparent standing, he should have at least a _few,_ someplace. _Oooh,_ they wanted one right now..!

… Well, that or a nice, long millipede, its carapace showing a healthy gloss as they let it weave between their fingers, itty bitty legs carrying it over their knuckles as it investigated the strange place in which it found itself. Endeavoring to keep the tiny creature from feeling threatened, even if it _did_ get spooked and release its toxin, it wouldn't have any effect on their hide. They'd watch it for a while, secreting it in a bed of flowers or some such place to forage before it got too hungry. _Or_ maybe they could give the tiny creature some fruit as a snack, and-

**_BOOKS~!_ **

Their host had been trying to lead them again, but they couldn't help breaking off, staring starry-eyed at the wide, wooden bookcase. How had they _missed_ this earlier?!

… Oh, right. They'd been suffering a combination of shock and depression upon their arrival, looking without seeing, hearing without comprehending. Even in a salient state, it was difficult to settle on just one thing to focus on, like the flameless lights that seemed to be, well, _everywhere._ Strange, as they couldn't sense anything arcane about their nature, just how did they… em.

**_BOOKS~!_ **

They couldn't keep their claws still, not sure which to remove first. And there were so _many,_ so thick and with such uniform script on the spines. While printed books had increased their availability, they were _still_ valuable. Clearly, their ally was someone of _some_ import to have amassed such a collection. Though, some _could_ have been inherited, but-

_Nmmh?_ The human was giving them an odd look of consternation, trying to get them to move with a gentle tug on their wrist. He… wanted them to leave these? Maybe he didn't want them touching these little treasures, afraid they'd… damage them. Understandable, as in their younger years they'd accidentally inflicted _so_ much harm on their own tomes, sharp points piercing the odd page as they'd tried to turn it or gouging a cover by grabbing it too zealously. Over the decades, though, the demon had mastered proper handling techniques, but... 

  
With a low, mournful whine, both ears and plumes drooped as they followed, giving the case a sad wave in parting. _Goodbye, books…_


	22. Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One's point of view affects so much...

There were many things that the mage would allow for the sake of his bizarre guest, but allowing the slightly damp whatever it was to plonk down in the middle of the living room, sharp nails scrabbling through pages of generalist literature,  _ naked,  _ no less… no. Just,  _ no.  _ The look of disappointment on the creature's face stung, admittedly, but surely it would also be happier once it was dressed.

… That, and given its difficulty speaking, he doubted it could  _ read _ the text. In the furthest corner of his closet, didn't he have a few boxes of old coursebooks? Not exactly elementary-grade reading, but easier to wrap one's head around than a three-volume novel or a recipe book. More expendable, too. If his father noticed any scratches, minor or not…  _ ugh,  _ he'd never hear the end of it. 

"C-come along, it'll be fine, I assure you," he burbled, leading the crestfallen beastie upstairs. It followed, but kept glancing over the thick wooden banister, a low whimper in its throat. While he had often been described as a bookworm, this thing's fascination implied a similar interest, one they  _ both _ held in common. "I, ah, have books in my room, ones that might be easier to manage."

It didn't respond, still staring like a child whose beloved pet had just passed on. Perhaps, Klug sighed, that was part of the reason he'd never been allowed to keep one, to spare him the sense of loss. Just as well… he  _ had  _ been rather traumatized from the incident in primary school, when the class pet snapped and presumably ate its own babies. He'd not  _ witnessed  _ the act, mind. But… there had been no explanation given as to  _ where _ the small things had disappeared to so shortly after being born. So of course, he'd done his  _ own _ research and been appalled by his findings. He'd kept it to himself rather than disseminate his gruesome theory among his classmates, but he had never been able to view rodents quite the same way again. Fuzzy little  _ savages… _

Yet, the beady-eyed little creatures were so  _ popular,  _ so often romanticized as being more than the nuisance they really were. Odd, how a shift in perspective could make something so often beloved into a subject of utter revulsion.

Very odd, indeed.


	23. Distraction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Is this what being a bibliophile means?

Sighing, the second floor of their benefactor's home didn't hold much interest to them at first glance. Several doors, most of which remained shut, seemed an absolute _bore_ compared to the bounty downstairs. Still, they didn't feel much choice in the matter, bonelessly allowing the silly human to lead them.

Their tone changed immediately upon entering one of the few whose door remained conspicuously ajar. A private room, and from the look of it, a student's. Basic but well-crafted furnishings, a desk in a state of organized chaos implying either a work in progress or an aversion to tidiness, various star charts decorating otherwise unoccupied stretches of wall and a pair of medium-sized shelves whose contents made their eyes go wide.

_More_ books, at least as many as downstairs, of varying heights and widths. They couldn't contain a soft squeak of excitement… which quickly died down, leaving them deflated. The demon hadn't been allowed to touch those they'd seen previously, after all.

A sense of unease started to settle in as the demon took stock of their situation. Lairs, bedrooms, whatever one chose to call them… in their caste, at least, one's personal living space was just that; _personal._ Being invited was no small thing, having a wide and varied range of implications. As far as they could tell, the human larva didn't _want_ anything from them, though they still started feeling self-conscious over their lack of clothes. Not exposed, but… the demon still felt vulnerable. Being wrapped in a soggy towel hadn't _seemed_ like an appealing option at the time, but...

"Ah..? You can come in, you know. Here," the bespectacled boy hummed softly, ushering them inside and bidding them to take a seat atop an immaculately made bed as he moved about, seemingly looking for something specific among the desk clutter. With an unflattering cackle of a laugh, he'd found whatever it was, returning and offering his prize on open palms: a weathered but serviceable tome. "A distraction while I find you something to wear. I'm not sure that I can find anything quite _presentable,_ but should suffice for the night."

In one ear and out the other, the demon was already absorbed in the provided 'distraction', daintily flipping through the thin printed pages with their sharp nails. Judging from the format and the way the text was organized, this was a dictionary.

**_A book!_ **

  
Just holding the thing calmed their nerves, the weight in their palm subtly reassuring. The sound of the weathered pages turning, the feel of paper beneath their fingertips… it was _perfect._


	24. Idle Thoughts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What are you..?

Klug had seen many peculiar things in his life but never had he imagined someone being so enraptured by a battered old dictionary. _Nocte stella,_ was the odd fuzzy being _purring_ as it paged through it?! At… least it seemed happier, assuaging some of the guilt he'd felt dragging it away from the bookshelves in the living room. If it could mind its claws, well, he wasn't _against_ just letting it browse his collection freely.

Well, excluding the oldest titles, the pride of his bookcase. Laying hands on intact volumes that had been printed a hundred years ago or more was no small feat and often accounted for the majority of his spending. No matter _how_ careful his new friend was, he cringed at the thought of _anyone_ handling those. The most prized ones, however, were the handwritten, the illuminated and the obscure. Contemporary writings on the dark arts were rare, so he relied on older scrawlings, often several centuries out of date. Translating them accurately wasn't always easy, but he'd managed to work through some of the simpler spells without (catastrophic) incident.

If only the cave-dwelling hermit weren't so intimidating..! True, the dark magician didn't  _ look _ to be all that old, but had an eerie air about him. Even among those who knew him prior to his arrival in Primp Town seemed out of place next to him. His cold, disconnected attitude just… didn't mesh with the others. His archaic mode of speech probably didn't help.

… Not that Klug was in much position to judge. To maintain his academic rank he didn't have all that much free time, time he was loathe to devote to a social life. Much of that was spent dabbling with the arcane or trying to find that elusive edge, something that would give him a chance to take a breath and _relax._ The Ruins of Arca had been largely picked clean, yes, but every once in a while someone would find a new relic. Most were common items, one of archaeological value, but there was the rare enchanted item, objects of power steeped in the arcane. He'd hoped that book, bound in faded red leather and trimmed in gold, was one such item. Later, he'd have to retrieve it, outside of his odd guest's gaze. Of course _they_ feared it, they'd been trapped in it for… for how long..?

How old _was_ the strange creature, which happily sat on his bed in one of his old nightshirts, rummaging through coursebooks he had no use for but was too stubborn to discard? Why had it been imprisoned to begin with? It wasn't aggressive or intimidating. It didn't _seem_ dangerous at all. If not for the injuries, he'd have chalked it up to an accident, that it had meddled with the book and gotten _itself_ sealed inside.

"Just what _are_ you?" A whisper in the rhetorical, knowing that he'd receive no answer, at least not for now.

  
Exhaustion started to set in as his body sagged. Sleep. The day had been so _long,_ so _tiring._ Maybe getting the odd being settled in for the night would be for the best.


	25. Unsteady

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something isn't quite right...

They hadn't been enthusiastic at being ushered out, but they'd been able to bring the box full of texts along with them into a different room. It had been another bedroom, one not in regular use, judging from the staleness that hung in the air. It was clean, though devoid of any personality. The larva apparently thought the demon was tired, showing them to the not particularly uncomfortable bed before switching off the lights.

They'd been left in peace, in the darkness… perfectly fine, as their luminescent eyes didn't require outside illumination to function. Turning the lights back on might disturb their host, anyway, so they elected to spread the texts onto the plush, carpeted floor and made themself comfortable. They compared characters, words, pages, scribbling down notes on blotter paper with a most flimsy writing instrument, the first of which had snapped in two between their fingers. Save for the light scratching of pencil to paper, they worked silently, tirelessly, determined to make as much headway as possible.

Though their night vision lacked the ability to discern colors apart, the near-monochrome was perfectly suited to text. They'd spent many hours reading by lamp or candle light in the past, only realizing several chapters later that the flames had long since died out.

So, they continued through the night, hours after their host had given in to the lure of sleep. The demon had no intention of curling up to rest any time soon. They'd been poring over old coursebooks, ones from the human's earlier years, tantalizingly close to marrying the new script and words to those they were familiar with. Once they'd mastered those, reading more complicated materials would be child's play. There were  _ so _ many questions these volumes might answer, at their literal fingertips, if only they could divine the messages tucked away inside.

Little by little, they paged between the different books, piecing together the new with the familiar, mending the substantial gaps in their language skills, a greater understanding taking shape. Ironic, that they had to expend this much effort, considering their innate ability to converse with beasts.

If the materials belonged to their host, apparently their benefactor's title was 'Klug', though how to pronounce such a name was beyond them. As they'd suspected, the unassuming little human  _ was _ a mage, albeit a student, at least during the time that this box had been compiled. That there was an actual established  _ school _ of magic struck the demon as decidedly odd… didn't most learn more directly via apprenticeships? Maybe this celestial stuff, primarily concerned with heavenly bodies rather than terrestrial elements, was too niche a form of casting, so generalized knowledge had to suffice.

The demon smiled a little, leafing through a small notebook, page after page filled with crude but serviceable sketches of interstellar phenomena and what appeared to be coordinates and notes. That silly purple-wearing larva  _ really _ loved space stuff. Coincidentally, the demon's proper name had roots in cosmology, as did their other siblings. It could've been worse… when they were younger, they'd known another demon whose nestmates had all been named for varieties of olive trees. Sticking to a theme made sense when having to name upwards of five newly hatched young… they'd just been thankful their dam hadn't been obsessed with textiles or something equally dull.

As far as obscure arcana was concerned, they were in little position to judge. Their own specialty lay in color magic, something they were born with rather than learned. Those type of spells were especially vulnerable to the influence of the caster's emotional state, moreso than other classes. Natural, since their origin was based in feelings, giving a shape and purpose to desires. Their own shade lay betwixt red and blue, a mix of calm and chaos, healing the destruction.  _ Any _ color could be used for good or ill, though each had their own strengths. Fortification, in their case, spells meant to shore up and protect… or to utterly  _ crush _ the subject, practically imploding a target into itself.

… They didn't want to dwell on the subject, moving onto a new volume. Useful… this one seemed concerned with word usage and grammar. Yes, they'd keep that one handy, placed open to one side as they..? With a soft groan, the demon shook their head, trying to clear it. No good, instead adding to a dull ache inside their skull.

Grumbling softly, they found it increasingly difficult to focus, the letters seeming to smudge and blur before the demon's eyes. Overtired, maybe, but they'd been determined to make as much headway as possible, wanting so badly to be understood and to comprehend all they could. Shutting their eyes, the sense of dizziness didn't seem to pass.

More troubling, it seemed to get worse. They felt… unsteady, disconnected. Simple tiredness and fatigue never felt like this.

Roughly pushing the beginner's level grammar guide away, they made to stand, but couldn't quite manage it, somehow seeming to slip on the carpeted floor. 

Something was wrong, the demon realized, breaking into a cold sweat.  _ What,  _ they were less certain of, grounded by a wave of nauseating vertigo. They only grasped what was happening when the world suddenly went dark on them, their terrified consciousness ebbing away.

_ Help… _


	26. Daybreak

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Was it a dream..?

It was quiet when the mage cracked his eyes open, defocused and uncomfortably blurry until he fumbled his glasses on. He yawned, his logy brain trying to determine whether yesterday's bizarre happenings had been a dream or not. So  _ real,  _ yet so very  _ odd.  _ Was he really so hopeless, so lonely that he'd dream of finding a friend quite literally inside of a book..?

With a combination of vindication and minor disgust, Klug spotted a few loose fibers sticking to the covers of his bedspread, pale yellow and a vivid shade of pink. While it confirmed his guest's existence, he hadn't known that the stranger had been  _ shedding.  _ A normal occurrence, he wondered, or a result of its healing wounds? He brushed them aside, thankful that he didn't seem to be allergic to the fibers.

Since he had the day free, the academic didn't feel the need to dress immediately. Preparing breakfast wasn't exactly the tidiest business, so it seemed a waste to potentially dirty a fresh outfit when his pajamas were already destined for the wash.

So  _ quiet... _ but, that wasn't necessarily a cause for alarm. He wouldn't blame the odd creature for being exhausted and sleeping in. What  _ were _ it's normal rest habits, anyhow? Ugh, so many notes to jot down, so much to  _ remember. _

… Well, provided that it hadn't fled during the night. Klug tried not to think too hard about  _ that _ possibility. His 'friend' wasn't  _ obligated _ to stay, after all. It wasn't his prisoner. Last night, as it ate, he'd been aware of its confused state, so pathetic and… and  _ lonely.  _ He didn't know how long it had been trapped, from where it had come from or even what it  _ was. _

  
A knot stuck fast in his throat as he cracked open the guestroom's door, the bed unoccupied and still neatly made. So… it hadn't bothered to sleep, just electing to  _ leave _ in the dead of night for parts unknown. It… hadn't even  _ tried _ to say goodbye, not that he could really  _ blame _ the odd individual. He'd still probably have to tidy the box of old textbooks. Strange, it had seemed so  _ interested _ in them last night, so why did it lea--


	27. Stillness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not okay. Not okay at all.

Klug  _ shrieked,  _ shamelessly loud and at a pitch just shy of cracking solid glass as he saw the body, slumped and unmoving within a ring of scattered textbooks and papers. Now he  _ wished  _ that it had merely abandoned him without a word of thanks, not… not like  _ this,  _ so final and… and  _ permanent.  _ At least if it had left him, there was still a chance he'd see it again,  _ alive.  _ And… this was  _ his _ fault, at least in part.

But… it hadn't  _ seemed _ to be badly hurt. It ate, even acting  _ happy _ once it had cleaned up and started rummaging through his old class materials. Acting..?  _ Had  _ it been an act, not wanting to put its weakness on display, concealing just how much pain it had felt..? He should've fetched the doctor, broken into their house and  _ dragged _ them here if they refused to come. It was too late, now. His eyes brimmed with tears, guilt making the surface of his cheeks scald even before rivulets of saline flowed in erratic, jagged streams down his face, dropping soundlessly and soaking into the carpeting. What… what should he do? Who should he contact? He'd never  _ dealt  _ with something like this before, never  _ expected  _ to be confronted by a corpse.

Oh,  _ starry heavens,  _ he… he had to check, didn't he? Check to confirm what he already  _ knew, _ that the still form was cold and totally bereft of life. The prospect of touching something  _ dead,  _ finding no warmth where it should have been,  _ oh,  _ it made the gorge of his stomach rise, corrosive and sickening. His muscles protested, stiff and creaking and wanting to do  _ anything  _ besides kneeling next to the cadaver, but he forced himself, his hand wavering as he fought back more tears. As his fingertips contacted the odd creature's neck, he almost lost his tenuous sense of balance, a strangled sob ripped from within his chest.

_ Warmth. _ Not as much as he'd felt in the ruins, the thing's head on his shoulder, but it was still  _ there. _ Desperately, his fingers fluttered around its throat, searching for a pulse. Klug didn't find it where it should have been, had it been human. Oh,  _ there _ it was..! Without a baseline to compare it to, making a judgment beyond it being present was impossible. But, it was present! Slumped forward the way it was, he couldn't have seen the slow, shallow breaths it took. It… oh,  _ heavens be praised,  _ it wasn't dead!

So, why was it catatonic, failing to respond to outside stimuli, be it touch or the mage's horrified scream? The mage couldn't see or smell the coppery tang of blood, so it wasn't an opened external wound. Weren't the eyes a useful indicator of certain conditions, be it vascular abnormalities or discoloration? Carefully, he eased one of the strange being's eyelids open, peering at the pinkish-red iris that surrounded the black slit of a pupil. It looked, well, quite ordinary apart from the unusual color.

But… 'ordinary' wasn't normal, not for the fuzzy-bodied individual. Every time that the bibliophile had looked at the creature, its eyes were eerily luminescent, possessing a noticeable glow. Now, that light was absent. Strange. If they were bio-luminescent… wouldn't they still be working? The chemical compounds involved didn't  _ require _ conscious thought, nor any awareness at all in the case of plants or fungus. So, why were they 'off', so to speak?

If the glow wasn't chemical in nature, maybe it was arcane..? They weren't numerous, but a few entities  _ did _ rely on magical energies to 'live', like wisps, or to supplement their abilities as dragons did. The only time a dragon was truly vulnerable was when its arcane reserves were exhausted, unable to fly or marshal elemental defenses. Maybe this creature needed some to function, or its depletion had hit it especially hard in its current state.

It wasn't uncommon for first year students to overstretch themselves, to expend more than they were capable of while spellcasting, leaving them weakened or… or  _ unconscious.  _ As far as he could tell, his 'friend' hadn't been casting anything, but… maybe it didn't  _ have _ to?

Rolling the sleeve up as much as he could, Klug exposed his companion's arm, undoing the bandage he'd applied the night before, needing to inspect the wounds. While the marks were still there, the scabbed flesh had mended, smooth new skin filling the depressions. To heal so quickly… it was  _ unnatural. _

To further verify his suspicions, he snaked a hand beneath his defenseless houseguest's nightshirt, fingertips groping through the short, plush fuzz that covered much of its torso. He felt like an absolute  _ creep _ doing so, but how else was he supposed to survey the other sites? He could only find  _ two,  _ the largest and most worrisome, but not due to their weeping plasma or rough, patchy crusts. It was the lack of hair or fur or whatever it was, the surface otherwise unscathed.

This odd being… it seemed to possess regenerative magic, but the effort had left it so drained that it had collapsed.

It needed more.


	28. Bleed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When just 'any' snack won't do.

Frustrated, the mage searched the cabinet, carelessly toppling bottles and vials searching for one in particular, one he wasn't sure that he'd find. As a child practicing magic, his parents had stocked a little of the stuff… it would have been irresponsible  _ not _ to. Concentrated ether wasn't exactly easy or inexpensive to acquire, but for his family it would have been a paltry sum.

But… he'd grown up, learned his limitations. Keeping something like that had no longer been a necessity. Still, it was a stable substance. It wouldn't have  _ expired,  _ so it should've been somewhere..!

… Unless they'd gotten rid of it.  _ Curses,  _ the  _ one _ time he actually  _ needed  _ it, and of course it was nowhere to be found. Wonderful, just  _ wonderful..!  _ Though, there were  _ other _ methods of getting what he was sure his ailing friend needed. The most readily available, easiest source to hand was…

With a low groan, Klug's brow furrowed as he stalked into his room, purposefully scanning the spines arranged in his bookcase. Finding what he was looking for, he snatched it up, practically dashing out and down the hall, back to the unresponsive being's side. Frantically scanning the index, he flipped through the pages, looking over the diagram rendered in clean, crisp black and white. It was easy to reproduce, tracing the form over the skin of his wrist, invoking the proper words and watching it flare to lif-

The effect was immediate, sharp pains extending from the locus, through his arm and into his body, like minuscule barbs being tugged through the myriad small veins hidden beneath skin and flesh. Fitting, considering that was, basically, what it was doing, forcibly drawing the spread magical energies within him and concentrating them at a singular point. He'd expected discomfort but this… this  _ hurt! _

Tears blurring his vision, he shifted the limp and surprisingly heavy body, resting their head roughly in his lap, prying the thing's mouth open with no resistance. Resting his wrist against the (admittedly terrifying-looking) teeth set into its lower jaw, the mage endured, taking slow, deep breaths, trying to lessen his discomfort as the ether was drawn out and gathered. The strange substance gained mass, bit by bit, culminating in small, glistening droplets that dripped down the creature's throat.

Seeking something,  _ anything _ to distract from the stinging sensation, the student stroked his odd companion's hair as one would comfort a pet or small child, amazed at its silky texture despite its chaotic, wild appearance. He had doubts whether anything short of several hours brushing could have a chance at taming it, and even then it wasn't a sure bet. Despite his discomfort, he smiled a little, watching the rise and fall of its chest, feeling oddly at peace for the moment.

If the remedy was going to help, it wouldn't take long for the condensed arcane energy to circulate and have a visible effect. All he had to do was wait...


	29. Stellar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nice to meet you..?

What… happened? They could remember being engulfed in darkness, stumbling, and then… nothing. Trying to move, the demon felt uncharacteristically sluggish, weighed down by limbs that felt for all the world like solid stone. Their throat felt parched, dry and alive with an abnormal tingling sensation. An unpleasant taste burst across their palette, strongly electric and… and oddly _bitter._

A bead of the stinging substance dripped down their tongue, drawing a faint whimper from within their exhausted corporeal form. As much as they wanted to get the awful substance out of their mouth, to protest and pull away… they couldn't, flesh rebelling against their will. They despised this feeling of weakness, of utter vulnerability, but it was inescapable and left them frightened as they tried to move again. All they could muster was a frustrated whine. 

"Shh, it's okay," a gentle voice spoke in words they couldn't yet make sense of, but it was… familiar to them, easing the panic that had started to coil around the demon's heart, squeezing and threatening to pierce it with daggers made sharp from anxiety and fear. Whoever it was, their foggy consciousness recognized them as an ally, or at least as non-hostile. 

It still didn't address the terrible taste clinging to the inside of their mouth, so alien yet at least somewhat familiar. Usually… it never tasted _this_ strong, the intensity prickling along the flesh of their throat, unpleasantly sharp but strangely invigorating. This was… this was _ether,_ they realized, something they were in dire need of. Impure, yes, but unlikely to cause any harm. Blindly, the demon tried lapping at its source like any simple mammalian nestling. Pitiful, perhaps, but shame alone wouldn't kill them.

Normally, the inexplicably loud squeak might have deterred them, though now it was a mere curiosity. The source of energy remained, and that was all they cared about right now. They kept feeding in silence, gradually recovering from the unexpected shock that came from being depleted.

It took genuine effort just to get their eyes open, the influx of unanticipated light blinding them as they struggled to focus. Adjusting to the brightness bordered on painful, but just being _aware_ of pain meant their condition had improved. Of all the sights they could have roused to, the demon had never expected a teary-eyed larva, his face all scrunched up in that peculiar way humans oft did when profoundly unhappy or upset. Was… he hurt? Had they done something to him without… meaning to…

Oh. _Oh..!_ Tongue retreating with a soft hiss of embarrassment, the demon tried to apologize, but was met with a heartbreaking look of concern and incomprehension. _Nhh,_ right, of course, their ally didn't speak _that_ language. Picking through their clouded memory, they tried again, desperate to be understood.

"Stop," the demon wheezed, a clawed hand trying to raise and push away their source of succor with the strength of a newborn chimera, a gesture the human easily rebuffed. It might've stung if they weren't so focused on a more immediate, more _important_ need.

_"Stop it."_ Louder this time, they let out a raspy growl and continued to protest, "hurts you, so _stop. Please…"_

Passing off his clenched teeth as a nearly maniacal grin, the mage's tongue clucked softly within its prison, his murky green eyes drawn but full of sympathy. He didn't even attempt to mask his pity for them. Small embers of resentment flared as the mage sighed and quite literally spoke down to them. "You _need_ this. I-I can handle losing a little magic, okay? I'm not s-some novice," he stuttered, hardly reassuring, "trust m-"

_"Better._ Feel better, so _stop."_ A slight exaggeration, yes, but they had no _idea_ how long the young mage had been feeding them. Unable to discern if the pale coloration of the fool's cheeks was his natural complexion or the result of a precipitous drop in arcane reserves, it felt right to be worried. His blunt refusal grated on the demon's nerves a bit, but even if they'd had the strength to argue they doubted it would accomplish anything. Yelling would only result in the stubborn magic student's heels digging in further. As a fellow obstinate creature, they could recognize one of their own.

_"I_ did this to you, in a way. So, let me make this right..!" The larva's false bravado did nothing to engender confidence. His light trembling wasn't helping, either.

They tried a softer approach, trying to nudge the wrist and its glowing sigil away. "Could die. Lose… my friend. _Please,_ stop..?"

Their ally's eyes narrowed into mere slits of emerald as he scrutinized the demon recovering in his lap, as though he could judge their sincerity by a glance alone. With a drawn out groan of reluctance, the student broke the sigil, bright lines fading into nothing. As it vanished, both parties relaxed, though their reasons weren't the same. For Klug, it was a relief from the discomfort. For the demon, the certainty their well-meaning host wouldn't outstrip his means. In a purely practical sense, a living ally was of more use than a dead one.

Still feeling drained and a little cold, the demon's shifted their mass into a more comfortable position, electing to stay close to their companion, to this, "Kurugu…"

"Ah..? P-pardon?.." The mage blinked, staring at the resting demon, content to let them snuggle and steal away some of his admittedly underwhelming warmth. He didn't even object as they quietly investigated the arm the locus had been scrawled onto, sniffling at the skin. It still smelled like soap and ether…

"Name. Kurugu. Yours..?" Tapered ears dipping a little, they wondered if they'd misinterpreted, but if it wasn't a name, then what _was_ it? Feeling uneasy, they timidly lapped the student's wrist, intent on consuming the remaining magic residue that clung there. Appalling as the taste was, they didn't wish to waste their friend's generosity. 

_"Oh._ Ah, almost. My… my name's Klug. You have one, too, yes?"

"Kulug..?" They rolled it around on their tongue, trying to grasp the pronunciation. While the demon _had_ a name, the unaltered old Arcish might have been difficult for the larva to grasp. That wasn't even considering how potentially _dangerous_ divulging it could be. If the human knew their name by reputation… he might turn on them. _An alternative,_ the demon decided, pausing as they tried to marry its meaning to the modern tongue. 'Of the void in the heavens'... what best described that? With a nervous twitch of their plume-like antenne, they hesitantly offered, "Ster... _nhmm…_ S-Stellar..?"

Klug's pained expression softened, the nimble fingers of his free hand fondly stroking the demon's hair. "Hm, Stellar… it's nice to meet you."


	30. Kulug

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ... At least it's not 'Krug'.

"I… I don't mind staying on the floor like this, but would the bed be more comfortable? Just, ah,  _ curious,  _ that's all."

'Stellar' gave him an odd look, one of its ears giving a disinterested flick as it resumed methodically licking his wrist. He guessed there must have been traces of ether clinging to it… that, or the pretty creature intended to make a meal of him. Hopefully it was the former.

"Here is good. Kur-,  _ nhh, Kulug,  _ thank you. Feel better." Its eyes once again vibrant, Stellar let out a soft rumble, squirming to rest more of its body against him. By way of explanation, it grumbled, "cold. It's okay?"

"Hrm? Leaning on me, you mean? That's fine, but, ah, hold on." Stretching a little, his fingers deftly snagged the edge of the until now undisturbed comforter, dragging it to the floor and effectively unmaking the bed. Hopefully, draping it over their new friend helped in a small way, even if doing so made even more of a mess of Stellar's notes. Though he hadn't taken the time to check, it wasn't difficult to deduce what was scrawled on them. "You, ah, learned some new words last night. I'm impressed." 

"Nh? Im-pressed..? A few. Some. Want more. Questions… I have many. Still hard, asking," its chest filled and deflated with a melancholy sigh, "sorry for… trouble."

Only a complete monster would consider blaming the frustrated-looking being, pitifully leaning into its host with a blanket inexpertly tossed on top. Klug lacked social acumen and his sometimes petty nature didn't  _ help,  _ but he wasn't cruel. He found himself mindlessly stroking his sulking guest's hair again, murmuring as the soft curls sprang through his fingers. "No trouble. I'm… I'm just relieved that you're not  _ dead. _ Do you, ah, faint often..?"

"Nhm-mm. Confused," it chattered irritably, "never before. Why now..?"

"You  _ were _ pretty hurt, so mayb-" His thought was cut short by an indignant little huff, the long, hair-like stalks atop its head dropping steeply as its grasp on his arm abruptly loosened and let go.

_ "Tiny! _ Small wounds. Not  _ that _ weak!" Pitch rising, the mage seemed to have struck a nerve, leaving the odd being's cheeks looking like startled twin puffer fish as it drew the blanket up further and moped.

Klug's irrepressible grin only made matters worse, further offending his strange, colorful companion. "I didn't say you were weak, no. Have you any idea how long you were trapped for?"

The jewel-like eyes darkened, its unseen claws curling defensively beneath the thick, insulating comforter as an uneasy whine rose in the back of its throat. "Trapped..? Nmh, not… not sure. Long…  _ real  _ long…"

Sealing magic of that type had been outlawed for several centuries. Judging from the undisturbed layers of dust where the mage had found its prison, it could've easily been confined for dozens, perhaps  _ hundreds _ of years. There were bound to be aftereffects suffering that kind of treatment. All the more reason to drag them to a…

  
…  _ No,  _ his companion wasn't in any condition to be  _ dragged _ anyplace. He'd have to convince someone from the clinic to come and take a look at Stellar. It shouldn't be  _ that _ difficult, he reasoned, figuring someone with a medical background would be especially interested in observing the mystery creature.


	31. Hatchling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not everything is terrible.

The demon sighed softly, their face nuzzled into the larval human's pajama top. If pressed, they could argue it being an efficient way to absorb the warmth their body currently lacked, that doing so would speed their recovery.

Being cold wasn't  _ comfortable,  _ but it wouldn't hurt Stellar, wouldn't make it harder for them to regain their strength. No, they were doing it for the simple reason that it  _ felt _ nice. It was an indulgence, pure and simple. They could easily abandon their host's lap and successfully nest within the thick blanket's embrace… but it wasn't  _ alive.  _ It didn't breathe, or talk, or idly stroke their hair. Stellar felt silly, being so reassured by that or a light scratch beneath their ear. They weren't a  _ hatchling,  _ hadn't been for over two centuries! Letting their ally dote on them as though they were a simple  _ nestling  _ should have felt insulting, perhaps even humiliating..!

Yet… with so much about the world and their place (if any) in it unknown and uncertain, they could use whatever comfort they could get their claws on. If it was slightly demeaning, Stellar didn't care. Right now, being close to Kulug and letting him pet them was calming to the lost demon. Apart from the fading sharp odor left by the ether, he didn't even smell objectionable like some of his species could.

There was  _ one _ problem, a pointed question burrowed into a corner of the demon's mind…  _ why?  _ What motivation did the strange boy have to aid them like this, to the point that he'd caused himself pain just… just to  _ help _ them? Stellar didn't have a  _ home  _ right now, let alone the resources to provide him any decent reward. They didn't even have their tomes of obscure arcana to show him a forgotten spell he might find interesting. There were several they  _ remembered,  _ but so many had been in those books. It hurt too much to think about.

Whatever his reasons, the demon was fairly certain that Kulug's goal wasn't to enslave them, to subsume or claim their power for his own. That… would've been easy to accomplish already. In their comatose, magic-deprived state, the mage could've researched the appropriate binding rituals and gathered the necessities without interference. Though the demon probably wouldn't have died, left unconscious and helpless like that, it could have taken them hours if not  _ days  _ to revive on their own.

Instead, he'd given some of his own power to rouse them. That… was good,  _ very _ good. They didn't need to fear him.

Maybe the academic's reason to assist them was simple pity. Stellar couldn't imagine how pathetic they'd appeared the day before, exhausted, filthy and starved. And, for a demon, they weren't exactly intimidating or scary looking to begin with. Their caste didn't have 'real' wings, just illusory ones conjured to intimidate enemies or attract potential mates. They didn't even have any horns, which didn't seem fair since several of their nestmates  _ did. _ No natural armor, either. Based on appearances alone…  _ nhh,  _ they were probably the least impressive demon their ally had ever seen.

Even now, they were less than majestic, snuggled up to the mid-sized human like he was their dam or something… though, they along with the rest of their nestmates had been ejected as soon as they could fend for themselves. Kulug was probably nicer, when they thought about it. He hadn't shoved them off and onto the floor yet.

Once Stellar recovered, maybe the human would be interested in an enchantment of some kind. They'd always had a knack for those...


	32. Pillow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You will sit there and let the bug-monster cuddle you.

Klug would've given so many coins to hear his new friend's thoughts, to have some inkling of what went on inside its head. It was thinking,  _ clearly,  _ quietly wedged against his body.

While he didn't intend to stay like this all day, Klug hesitated to say anything, figuring he owed the poor thing for not fetching someone last night. If he had… Stellar might not have suffered the anemic fainting spell. None of this would've been necessary.

… Honestly, the scholar was just grateful that it hadn't died. He… wasn't sure he could've shouldered the guilt. He would've felt responsible, even if it had been via indirect negligence.

Ah..? Oh, he'd started petting it again without thinking, raspberry-colored curls springing through his fingers. It… it wasn't a  _ pet!  _ It was a thinking  _ being! Honestly,  _ he had to stop treating it like a cat, o-

Feeling the weight in his lap shift, the mage opened his mouth, ready to apologize when Stellar's forehead butted gently into his stomach to the tune of a slow, deep sigh that… that led into what sounded like a purr.

S-so… it was happy? It didn't mind..? Wait, he didn't  _ need _ to guess, he could… could just  _ ask.  _ Yes. He… he should. Right.

"You, ah, m-make that sound when you're happy? I'm… I don't mean to  _ pry,  _ or… or bother you." Timid, much too timid. He made it sound as though he was  _ scared _ of the soothing rumble instead o-

"Happy..? Maybe. Feel calm. I, it bothers you? I… can stop. Try to."

"W-what? No, please, I'm not trying to complain! I just,  _ ah,"  _ with a frustrated groan, the mage held back his head and tried to explain. "I… I like the sound. It's s-sort of comforting, you know?  _ Soothing.  _ You, ah, don't mind when I pet you? I keep meaning to ask, and…"

Shifting just enough to expose one eye, Stellar blinked at him, a curious note in its voice. "Nm… it is fine? You can touch, feels nice… soothing?  _ Nhmm… feel warm~." _ With a little trill, it purred again, draping an arm over his lap and making itself thoroughly comfortable.

… There was no escape for him, was there? A soft smirk on his lips, Klug relaxed and resigned himself to his ignoble fate as the odd being's living pillow, at least for a little longer.


	33. Huh..?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You don't know..?

"Do you, ah, _feel_ any better, Stellar? I… I wouldn't be surprised if you were, say, _hungry_ after… after everything." 

_Hungry…_ the demon hadn't really registered the subtle gnawing in their gut, understandably preoccupied with the extreme lethargy that came with being depleted. While they were still tired, still vulnerable, the utter sense of weakness had started to subside. The mention of food raised their awareness of the hollow emptiness within their stomach, but… they were _comfortable_ like this, regaining a measure of security they hadn't felt prior to the incident which had put them in this unenviable position.

"... Some. A little. But," Stellar groaned, their ears dipping as they nestled against their benefactor's shirt, swallowing no small degree of pride as they admitted, "want to stay. _Here,_ with you. Feel safe… please, stay?"

Their humility earned them a loose hug, the bespectacled boy's arms draped over their shoulders. Funny, taking a sense of security from something like that, from such a comparatively weak lifeform. Considering how strange and uncertain the demon's life was right now, they refused to feel ashamed of soliciting that which could offer a small degree of comfort.

"Ah, that's… sure. Once you _do_ feel like eating, just tell me. Do you feel like talking, though? There's… a lot that I'm curious about. What you eat, where you're from… _what_ you are…" Hesitating with that final question, the human bit his lip, growing visibly agitated, as though he shouldn't have asked.

_"Nmm~mmh,"_ they purred, shifting a little beneath the blanket, wanting to make themself easier to hug. Silly questions, all, but Stellar didn't mind addressing them. "Eat lots of things, Kulug. Like sweet foods the most, but anything is okay. Not, _mhh,_ choice-y..?"

"Ah, well, if you _were_ choosy, I'd try to accommodate you. Er, _work_ with you, I mean." The human smiled, though he still seemed uneasy, lightly ruffling their hair.

_Weird._ Maybe the silly mage would feel better if they answered his other inquiries. Still trying to unsubtly solicit a hug, Stellar continued. "Um, from far away, but lived _here,_ nearby. A castle, small, likely gone. Been so long…"

_Something_ about that statement caught the boy's interest, but whatever it was, he didn't share. "I-I see. Well, I don't mind if you'd like to stay here for a bit. Oh, and the last question?"

Stellar's plumes wavered, unsure of how to respond. True, the home  _ seemed _ big, and their friend seemed to live alone. Until they got their bearings… this seemed the best option.  Was he asking about their profession..? Their benefactor was a student, obviously, so curiosity was to be expected. Almost chirping, they beamed, luminescent eyes sparkling as they responded, "s-sure, thank you. I, um, put magic in objects? Word, not sure… color magic, not like ceres-... nhm, celeresti-... not like yours."

"You mean 'celestial'..? And… you're an enchanter? Interesting, though, ah, I meant more like… like I'm human. I've never seen anyone like you before."

He… didn't know _what_ they were?! Dumbstruck, Stellar scanned his features, looking for signs that he was joking… but found nothing. Surely he'd have _seen_ a few, wherever he came from. Though… their caste _was_ a little odd-looking, as far as demons went.

  
"Am, u-um… a…" What _was_ the word in this unfamiliar tongue?! Whining softly, they were forced to admit, "not sure… how to say?"


	34. Conditions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One is easy, the other... is not.

His houseguest looked genuinely distressed as its ears dipped, clearly wanting to share but unable to. Feeling responsible for making the whatever-it-was so _sad,_ Klug tried to hug his new friend to his chest. _S-stars..!_ How could something so covered in light fluff be so heavy?!

It recognized what he was attempting to do, shifting and sliding its arms around his midsection, hugging him firmly yet not crushingly hard. Being intelligent, it was clearly frustrated with its limited vocabulary.

"Hey, Stellar, it's fine," Klug sighed, squeezing the despondent creature, trying to offer encouragement. "What you are… it's not that important. It's impressive, really, that we can even _have_ a conversation. You have nothing to feel ashamed of."

Whether it was shame or frustration plaguing the oddity, his words seemed to help. It sighed, nestling its head in the softness of his pajama top. Unused to having another seeking comfort in him this way… he couldn't keep his heart from skipping a beat as he tried to remain supportive.

"Hard," it murmured, sounding as though it were struggling to hold back tears, chest hitching beneath the loaner nightshirt, "want to ask. _Can't._ Just so… so…"

"... Frustrating?"

_"Nhm!_ Y-yeah, frustrating." The stiffness in the agitated creature's frame eased as a deep, prolonged drone rose from its chest. Rather than resenting his vocabulary suggestions, Stellar seemed to _welcome_ them. The context might serve to expand the pretty creature's lexicon.

… Wait. _Wait._ Pretty..? Well, Stellar's coloration _was_ striking. Even with the soft yellow, pink and plum hidden beneath the long shirt, the raspberry color of its wavy hair and glowing eyes set off the caramel shade of skin nicely. It wasn't untoward to appreciate the combination of shades on an _aesthetic_ basis. Perfectly reasonable!

Even like this, brow furrowed in frustration, he had to admit to liking just how expressive his houseguest was. Where words failed, Stellar's body language intimated so much, seemingly at ease wearing its emotions on its figurative sleeve. Did it always act so straightforward, or was that for his own benefit?

"Take your time, Stellar. You'll find the words, in time. I, ah, don't have much teaching experience, but I can try. How does that sound..?" Hopeful, Klug benignly studied his friend's features as he continued to hug it.

" _Mhm…_ try to teach me? Please?"

"I _do_ have two conditions, _erm,_ things I want, first. We _both_ have to eat something. Studying on an empty stomach's not the greatest idea."

Long plumes twitching, Stellar made a small noise in the affirmative, head still nestled in his shirt. "Okay. Other condition..?"

"I… want to make sure you're doing better. I have to bring a doctor here, Stellar. You've, ah, been through a _lot,_ an-" Klug's mouth froze as he caught the look of abject _fear_ in his new friend's face.

  
He could feel the odd being's body shivering beneath the layered fabric and batting, shaking so hard he'd have guessed it were freezing to death rather than simply _scared._ It stared at him, slit pupils contracted tightly enough to be lost in the pinkish purple of its eyes.


	35. The Unknown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What if everything went wrong..?

It wasn't the named profession itself that raised the demon's hackles. Truly, Stellar had nothing to pair the larval human's words with. The feeling of unease, the cold dread that solidified around their lungs and made it difficult to breathe had little to do with any individual in particular. Bringing someone _else_ into their situation, possibly an authority of some type… _so_ much could go wrong.

Yes, Kulug wouldn't _intentionally_ bring about their ruin. The human was, well, _soft,_ for lack of a better word. He certainly seemed to trust _them,_ though they'd practically just met. Still, with someone he knew, someone who held his respect... it was obvious who the near-sighted youth would side with.

The way he stared at the demon with unconcealed worried confusion, trying to understand just what had caused them to react as they did, trying vainly to reassure them… it hurt, but what could they say? Lacking nuance, how were they supposed to explain without accidentally incriminating themself, making their only ally reject them or, worse, _fear_ them? Maybe he'd even turn on them, forcing them back into that loathsome darkness, bound in that accursed bo-

"Stellar, _please,_ this is important! You obviously _need_ some magic to function and if you keep running out, you'll… w-well, you'll probably _die._ Nobody's going to hurt you, I… I _promise_ you." Those big grass-green eyes looked so _sincere,_ so _adamant,_ he probably believed in his own words.

They… they _wanted_ to believe his words. But, if he was mistaken and Stellar was perceived as a threat, a single celestial mage couldn't stand against a settlement of magic users. All he'd achieve was his _own_ death. Why… _why_ did they have to be so damnedably _weak_ right now?! Distressing… so distressing, that the shivering demon slid back into their familiar dialect, hurriedly babbling, _"you can't, you_ **_can't_ ** _promise that! You'll just be slain or…_ **_nhh,_ ** _I can't..!"_

All of the student's nicest-sounding words failed to console the hyperventilating demon. Realizing that, he abandoned trying to converse with their shivering form at all, shifting to support the demon's dead weight with a solitary arm. Softly stroking their hair, he repetitively crooned, "shh, it's okay, it's okay. Just… just  _ trust _ me…"

_ "You don't understand, y-you don't..!"  _ Mouth agape, trying to suck in enough air to both chatter and breathe, their voice wavered,  _ "you don't even know  _ **_why_ ** _ I was confined! I can't let you hurt yourself over… over me..." _

Projecting an uncharacteristic sense of calm, Kulug sighed, trying to brush their frazzled bangs back into place. "I know that  _ something _ terrible happened to you, long ago. That  _ won't  _ happen again. This world… it isn't the same, anymore. You'll be alright."

Being upset like this was tiring, so  _ tiring,  _ and they found themself relying on the larval human to keep from sliding onto the floor entirely. Quieter, now, the vaguely insect-like creature sniffled out a soft protest,  _ "I… I never tried to frighten anyone. I don't understand why they believed that I'd destroy something I loved so much. You can't know how that feels…" _

Patiently, their benefactor waited for a lull in the incomprehensible chatter. He was so calm, so gentle when he finally asked, "hey, Stellar… you're a demon, an _akuma,_ aren't you? That's… that's why you're scared, isn't it? Am I correct..?"

Cringing, they recognized the old word, claws digging into the blanket still draped over their body, making no sound or effort to stop their friend's fingers from ruffling their hair. They'd rather have told him themself… now it just looked like they'd been hiding it.  _ It… it isn't fair… _

"Not… scared? Of me?" Head still bowed, they were wary of looking the student in the eyes. Right now, they couldn't weather a glare of disdain or contempt, a non-verbal accusation of a crime they had never committed. 

"Ah..? No, of course not. You haven't done anything to me, Stellar. I won't abandon you just because of what you are."


	36. The Great Equalizer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Demons being fond of pancakes is common knowledge, isn't it?

"Not only humans..? Really?" Distracted from the plate set out before it, Klug's guest continued to badger him. Still, he preferred that the demon be nosy and pestering him instead of shaking in mute terror.

"Mm-hmm, one of my classmates is forest folk, Lidelle. She's a bit shy, quiet most of the time. Her ears look a little like yours, actually. She, ah, has horns, though." The mage deposited the first finished pancake onto Stellar's plate, dyed purple where the berries within had overheated and popped. Ideally, he'd have spent more time to fold the fruit inside, but hunger overrode his desire for perfection. It would taste about the same, anyway.

Despite Stellar's intimidating claws, the pastel creature handled the silverware without difficulty, using the broad side of the fork to section a small piece of berry-studded pancake. True, it was against most etiquette to then investigate the severed chunk, sniffing it curiously before taking a bite, but at least it chewed with its mouth closed.

"'S good. This is..?"

"Ah, that's a pancake. They're often made plain, but since you like sweet things, I figured putting in berries would be nice. Oh, I didn't mention the syrup, did I? H-hold on." The academic flipped over a pair of roughly circular shapes once the raw batter started to bubble, then set aside his wooden spatula as he plucked an inconspicuous brown glass jar from a small collection of condiments. Actually, he should… ah,  _ there _ it was! He set both the syrup and a smaller, lighter-colored jar before the demon. "This one is maple syrup," he pointed out, "and this is honey. Feel free to try both."

Klug didn't see the inquisitive being's eyes light up, nor did he see its stubby tail swaying beneath the oversized shirt it wore. If he  _ had,  _ it might have been less of a shock to find Stellar gleefully upending the bottle above its gaping, toothy maw, steadily emptying the honey directly into its mouth.

"H-hey! You're not supposed to just  _ drink  _ that! It's supposed to go on  _ top _ of food!" Still, he didn't snatch the bottle away, going back to cooking as he grumbled, "just… just don't drink  _ both  _ of them, please? I'd like at least a  _ little _ syrup…"

_ "Nhmm~hmm,"  _ his bizarre guest purred, trying to get the last dribbles of honey out with its tongue, a look of undisguised bliss in its half-lidded eyes. Once the drained container was set aside, Stellar drawled,  _ "nmm,  _ honey is the best~. Good for energy."

"N-not if you  _ drink _ it!  _ Heavens,  _ I won't be surprised if your stomach gets upset later."

Appearing amused to no end, the demon snickered, setting its chin upon its laced claws as it watched the flustered human tend the stove. "Nah. Had more, before. Have you tried..?"

"What,  _ drinking _ it? O-of  _ course  _ not!"

"Really should," came a contented purr, "so sweet…"

Klug smirked, sliding a chair out and taking a seat across from his odd companion, spearing a couple of the few remaining flapjacks as he reached for the tray of butter. He could only imagine what a nightmare it would be getting the sugary stuff out of the long white fluff that encircled his new friend’s wrists. Half-smiling over the sheer absurdity, he quietly murmured, “you’re, ah, _really_ a fan of sweet things, it seems. You'd probably  _ love  _ Lemres...”

Ears perking up, the antenned individual paused, tilting its head, absentmindedly pouring a puddle of syrup on the plate. Sopping some up with a piece of berry pancake, it hesitantly asked, "Lemeres? What is it..? Tastes sweet?"

"N-no, that's, ah," Klug stammered, shoving the image of an edible candy Lemres from his mind. "He's, ah, someone I know, a  _ person.  _ Not food, no."

With a disinterested grunt, his guest returned to their pancakes, popping a sectioned piece into its mouth. The odd being seemed to melt a little as they relished the flavor. Swallowing with a satisfied little sigh, it purred, "a friend..?"

"S-something like that…"  _ More an aspirational figure than a friend,  _ Klug muttered softly, probing his pancakes as the butter melted and slid onto the plate. While he'd adore having the older student as a mentor…

"A mate..?" Its slit pupils stared innocently as it tried to assign a role to this unknown party.

  
"A  _ what?!  _ N-no, of course not! I… I would never… he wouldn't..!" Blushing up a storm, the academic exclaimed with a high-pitched squeak, finding it suddenly difficult to articulate an objection.  _ He never notices me, anyway,  _ the celestial reflected miserably, tapping the tines of his fork as he breathed out a deflated sigh.


End file.
